Anh Co Tran’s Bob-Cutting Technique

Celebrities popularize hair trends, but the actual “trendsetters” are the talented stylists behind the cuts and colors seen on all of today’s It-girls. So when stars like Demi Lovato or Sophia Bush want a cool, lived-in chop they head to Anh Co Tran, co-owner of Ramirez Tran Salon in Beverly Hills.

Even Jen Atkin, the mega-famous stylist to the Kardashians, recently collaborated with Anh for her short, fringed bob. (Watch the cutting QUICKIE below!) And with bobs making their way back to the top of a lot of your clients’ wish lists, we grabbed the details from Anh himself on creating the perfect bob for any client.

Anh’s Sectioning Technique:

1. Start by splitting the head into thirds, separating the front from the back and sectioning behind the ears.
2. Then, split the middle section in half, and create a diagonal-forward section from above the occipital to the top of the ear (depending on the density of the hair).
3. Repeat step 2 on the other side. Anh says this is the first section to create the perimeter.
4. Next, take pie sections from above and work all the way around the head for layering. Leave out the hair line when layering so that you don’t cut into the perimeter

Anh’s Cutting Technique:

• Anh likes to use a deep, point-cutting technique for creating texture and movement. He avoids using razors on his clients, but says it’s a personal preference and that the look can be created with the tool. (We know it can—check out this razor-cut bob!)
• Anh cuts his bobs on dry hair in order to see how the hair reacts—he looks for natural swirls or cowlicks. He avoids working with wet strands because there is an unknown factor for how the hair will bounce when dry.
• Anh creates movement and avoids a “mom bob” by using a soft/blunt undercutting technique with medium to long layers. This also keeps the style from looking stiff.
• Anh creates his A-line bobs by bringing the hair back over the shoulder to preserve the length in front first. He then uses his soft undercutting technique to create movement with the A shape.

Watch this quickie from Anh for more details!

 

A post shared by Los Angeles | NYC Hairstylist (@anhcotran) on Aug 17, 2017 at 8:44am PDT

Anh’s Parting Technique:

• If a client never moves their part around, then cut the hair exactly how they wear it.
• If a client tends to flip their part around, part the hair in the middle so that it’ll feel balanced throughout.

Anh’s Customization Technique:

• Anh modifies and customizes every cut to his client’s face shape. Here’s a closer look at how he determines the cut with the face shape and hair texture:
  • Rounder faces: Keep more length in front.
  • Rectangular faces: Make the length shorter, but keep it longer than the jaw.
  • Heart-shaped face: Cut to the jaw line or right above it to fill in the extra space.
  • Fine hair: Create long layers (almost all one length)
  • Thick hair: Use a parallel undercut technique to remove weight without over layering.
  • Wavy hair: Create lots of texture
  • Curly hair: Cut on air-dried hair and create medium-to-longer layers.

Watch Anh create the now-famous Jen Atkin chop!

 

A post shared by Los Angeles | NYC Hairstylist (@anhcotran) on Oct 21, 2017 at 9:18am PDT

Want more bob-cutting education? Watch these six bob-cutting quickies from Anh!